Regulating-valve.



P. MUELLER & A. C. SCHUERMANN.

REGULATING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 22, 1912.

. a m 7 W m z E m n v WM %7 m wm M E 9 W m l \2 km E I 5 0C7 fin z ,z. m I m f s 0 a I & 9 1 a ,2 W, I 1? A L K W ing fountains,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP MUELLER AND ANTON C. SCHUERMANN, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBS TO H. MUELLER MFG. 00., OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

nEeULArrNG-irALvE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed November 22, 1912. Serial No. 732,940.

county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Regulating-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to regulating valves designed primarily for use with drinkbut which may be used With equal advantage wherever it is desired to maintain a gentle and constant flow of water from a nozzle.

The object of the invention is to. provide a nozzle with a simple pressure regulating device. This is acoomplished by placing within the nozzle an adjustable automatic valve through the use of which the How of water from the nozzle will be practically constant under varying changes of water pressure, thus enabling the drinking fountain or other outlet to be connected to a' main in which the water pressure varies between more or'less extreme limits with but slight effect on the outfiowing stream and that effect only momentarily and at the instant of change of pressures, the stream quickly resuming its normal flow as soon as the regulating valve has adjusted itself to the change.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1.

is vertical central section of adrinking fountain nozzleprovided with the improved regulating valve. tional view on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section of the regulating valve enlarged. Fig. a is a top plan View of the same. view. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of the regulating valve. 7 is a further modified view of the regulating valve and valve seat.

In the drawings, which for illustrative purposes show the invention in connection with a drinking fountain, and wherein like reference characters are used to designate the same parts in all the figures, A indicates a drinking nozzle, here shown as hollow and provided at one end with an extension or neck 11 for the attachment of a supply pipe. The opposite end of the body is closed by a cap 12 having a central opening 14 and narrow slots 15 radiating therefrom for the passage of the drinking stream.

Through the inlet neck 11 is a central bore Fig. 2 is a horizontal sec-.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan' 17 communicating with the interior of the body 10 and divided by a transverse diaphragh 18 having a central opening 19 therethrough. Below the diaphragm 18 the bore 17 is screw-threaded for attaching the nozzle A to an inlet pipe. The upper end of the bore 17 is counterbored from within the body or otherwise enlarged downwardly at 20 for a suitable distance and interiorly screw-threaded for the reception of a removable annular valve seat 21 having an exterior peripheral screw-thread as represented in Fig. 1.

Within the bore 17 between the perforated diaphragm 18 and the valve seat 21 is placed a regulating valve plug 22 of such diameter and length as to fit snugly within said bore and move freely therein for a limited distance in an axial direction. The regulating valve plug, or valve 22, as it will be hereinafter called, is cylindrical from its lower end nearly to its upper end where it is reduced inrdiameter for a short distance, making a shoulder 23 and then tapers inwardly to form a frusto-conical end 24-. which, when the valve is raised, contacts with a similarly shaped surface 25 on the valve seat 21. The bottom of the valve is recessed at 26 to form a flange 27 that rests on the diaphragm 18 when no water is flowing through the nozzle. A number of parallel longitudinal grooves 28 are cut in the outer periphery of the valve body from its bottom to the shoulder 23,

said grooves extending through the bottom flange 27 and forming a series of notches 29 therein. The frusto-conical upper end 24:

is also grooved at 30 in line with and forming a continuation of the grooves 28, but these grooves 30 are narrower and shallower than the latter grooves. The purpose of the grooves will be described later.

To limit the flow of water through the nozzle, a baffle plate 31 may be placed across the interior of the body 10 and secured thereto or to the inner end of the cap 12. Perforations 36 are formed through the baffle plate 31 for the passage of water. Through the center of the baffle plate 31 is threaded a regulating screw 37 provided with a disk or collar 38 below the baffle plate from which projects downwardly a pin 39 surrounded by a compression spring 40 one end of which bears against said collar 38, while the other end is seated in a recess ll in the top of the regulating valve 22. By means of this screw the bottom of the regulating valve 22and raises. it more or less depending on thewater pressure, against the resistance of the spring 40. All water entering the bore "passes" through the notches 29 inthe flange'2'l oi the valve, thence up along the grooves -28 "the perforations in the baflie plate" and out through the openings 14 and,15 in the ca 12.

all purposes.

Under ordinary low pressure the valve 2 is raised only a short distance above the an: phragm 18 not suflicient to cause the valve to contact with its seat 21, hence there is no impedimentto the flow of such water as passes through the grooves 28 around the valve. Should, however, the pressure be greatly increased the force of the spring 40 would be overcome and the valve closed against the seat, preventing any water from passing to the outlet except through the nav row and shallow grooves 30 in the'frustoconical top of the valve, but this amount under the greater pressure is suflicient for With, a water ressure intermediate theextreme's, the va ve, under the action of the spring 40,'will be forced from its seat a distance proportional to' the'water pressure therebyregulating the volume of A water passing through the nozzle'outlet to the pressure.

;.lunder high pressure conditions the area of From the above it will be apparent that the water passage around the valve is dey while under low. pressure condiof water passing ithe valve.

'itions this area is increased, so .thatprac All tically the same amount of 'water' will flow from the nozzle under all'conditions, the position; of the valve,- with relation to its seat 'bein automatically regulated byitwo opposmg oroes, that of the spring and the .pres- Sureof the water. The tension of the spring is adjusted by the screw" 37 to regulate the movementof the valve, and. is determined by the. pressure of the water under normala'nd extreme conditions. The spring ten.- sioned'to regulate the quantity of water necunder normalconditions and as the pressure increases or decreases either gradually or quickly the valve, will respond to the change .of pressure and reduce or increase the flow Instead of forining the regulating valve as in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 with the grooves 30 in the frusto-conical end of the valve in line with the grooves 28 in the body of the valve, these grooves 30 may be-made between the grooves28 as shown in Fig.6 for the purpose of reducing the force and speed of the water in its passage to the outlet especially when lpass OIkthIOUgll the way be impeded, which retardation of its or offset, as desired. f 1

- tinuous with said notches, a series of prising a cylindrical bo y havingi the valve is in contact with its seat. By pogrooves 28, the water'instead of flowing in a direct-line through the grooves 28 and 30 will be deflected laterally n ore'or 'less after escaping from the grooves 28 in order to grooves 30 andin this flow assists in maintaining "the steadiness of the drinking stream. and 30 to and through the valve seat 21 into: the body 10 of the nozzle, thence through.

Fig: 7 a further modification .is shown wherein theiriistd-rloriical end hi the valve is. left smooth, and grooves deformed inthe surface of the valve seat against which the valve abuts. These grooves 45 maybe in line with the grooves 28 in the valve body,

atwe claim v i 1. A regulating valve "tor fluid outlets comprising a casing havingian inlet passage, a perforated iaphragni invsaid passa e, a valve seatalso insaid passage a vs, vs plug snugly, fitting said passage etween the diaphragm and the valve seat movable toward said seat by the pressure of the incoming fluid, resilient means for forcing the valve plug from its seat toward the diaphragm, a flange or skirt on the underside of said valve lug to bear onsaid diaphragm through which flange notches are formed to prevent closure of the diaphragm, superficial longitudinal passages surrounding the valve plug communicating with said notches and extending over the seating surface in the valve plug to provide a passage around the valve In at all times for a limited quantity 0 fluid.

2. A regulating valve for fluid outlets comprising a casing having an inlet passage, a valve seat in said passage, a valve plu snugly fitting said passage movable towai said seat by the ressure of incoming fluid, said valve plug with a' tapering head at oneend forming a seating for the valve plug, and a projecting notched flange at its other end, a'series of longitudinal grooves formed in the body conon tudinal grooves also formed in said taperii g head, and a circumferential groove at the base of the tapering head connecting said longitudinal grooves to form a continuous passage for fluid around the valve, a spring tending'to hold said valve plug from its seat against'the pressure fluid, tension adjusting means for said spring, and a stop in the inlet passage to limit the movement of said valve 3. A valve plug for re lating valves coma ta erin" head of less diameter than sai bo y and shouldered therefrom, said head forming a valve seating, a depending peripheral flange at the end opposite said head through which is formed a plurality of notches, said body being provided with peripheral grooves exaving a cylindrical body,

tending from said notches to the shouldered head, and grooves in said head in line with the body grooves, and a circumferential groove formed by said shoulder connecting the grooves in the body with the grooves in the head to permit intercommunication between all of said grooves.

4. A valve plug for regulating valves comprising a cylindrical bod havin a tapering head of less diameter t an sai shouldered therefrom to form a circumferential groove around the'valve plug, said head forming a valve seating, a dependent peripheral flange on the end of said body opposite said head through which are formed,

a pluralityof notches, said body being provided with a pluralit of longitudinal peripheral grooves exten ing from said notches to the circumferential groove by which said longitudinal ooves are connected one to the other, an passages extending from said circumferential groove around the valve head when seated to permitat such times a limited flow of fluid past the valve.

5. valve plug for regulating valves combody andv prising a cylindrical body havin a tapering head of less diameter than sai body and shouldered therefrom to form a circumferential groove around the valve plug,'said head forming a valve seating, a dependent peripheral flange on said body at the end opposite the head through which are formed a plurality of notches, said body being provided with a plurality of longitudinal peripheral grooves exten ing from said notches to the circumferential groove by which said longitudinal grooves are connected one to the other, and a plurality of by-passes around said valve seating and communicating with said circumferential groove to permit a limited flow of fluid ast the valve plug when the latter is closed In testimony whereof we vhave hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP MUELLER. ANTON C. SCHUERMANN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM R. BIDDLE, CATHERINE E. MCKEOWN. 

